Sharing Nicely (19 page)

“Better?” he asked when the sobbing had subsided.

“Yes,” I replied, “though I don’t think your shirt will ever be the same again.”

He laughed. “Oh good, your sense of humour is still intact. Look, I’m going to call Chester to get home. Do you want a lift?”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll get the Tube.”

“Are you sure?”

I nodded. “Yeah. If I hang around much longer I’m going to try to kiss you and if you resist it’ll make me cry again and I swear I haven’t got any tears left.”

“I won’t resist,” Greg replied. “I can’t resist you.”

I didn’t wait to think. I pushed myself against him, tipped my head back and kissed him. He did resist for a little while, probably a split second, but from my prone position it felt like forever before his lips moved in sync against mine. I forgot all the heartache, all the loneliness in that kiss. As our lips danced it was like we’d never been parted. He ran his hands down my shoulders and I gripped his hips, holding on for dear life while arousal and desire flooded me.

I wanted him to take me there, up against the window, I wanted to feel his naked flesh against mine but just as I contemplated running my hand inside his shirt my conscience kicked in.

“I’d love to keep going,” I panted and licked my lips, “but it’s not fair, is it? I’d be using my feminine wiles on you and you’re not sure you trust me. I don’t want to make it harder for you. I don’t want to persuade you with sex.”

He nodded, squeezed the tops of my arms and dipped his head to kiss me again. I was taken by surprise and staggered back.

“I trust you, Kerry,” he breathed. “I do. I just let my stupid insecurities get in the way. Let me ring Chester. We’ll go back to my place, I’ll cook us something tasty, we’ll drink something fruity and decadent and just catch up. What do you say to that?”

“It sounds really good, Greg, but what happens if—”

“It won’t. I’ll either get to hear that call or I won’t. I don’t care now—unless you’re confessing undying love to the Scouse gingernut in it there’s nothing I could hear to change my mind. I promise. I was stupid, I jumped to conclusions. I don’t want to waste any more time thinking about that.”

“If I say all right and I come with you, I’m trusting you, really trusting you, because I’m so fragile right now I’m not sure I could take more bad news, honestly, Greg. You broke a promise to me once before. I couldn’t take any more.”

“There is minimal risk that you’ve been lying to me all along and I’ll discover that and so, we’ll be back to square one. It’s minimal. If you’re telling me the truth, I want you back in my life. I’ve been miserable without you. I promise to you that I love you and I will try never, ever to be so wilfully stupid in future.”

I read the sincerity in his eyes, in the tone of his voice, and I wanted to believe him.

“Okay,” I relented. “Let’s do it.”

Greg rang Chester and I waited by the window. I enjoyed the view. I weighed up what I’d done. I still didn’t think that sneaking into Greg’s place of work had been my best plan ever, but it had worked, or so it seemed. I knew I should have been unforgiving really. He had believed the worst of me. He’d distrusted me and left me behind.

I found it hard to judge him for that, though. He’d taken the evidence he had and he’d just jumped to the wrong conclusion. Did it really say much about his relationship with me or was it more about his history with Darren? After all, I had played them off against each other when we first met, so it didn’t take a huge leap to get to the conclusion he’d made. I couldn’t hate him for that.

“Chester will be here in half an hour. I just need to do a little work before we leave, to set up for tomorrow.”

“Okay, no problem.” I smiled.

“Do you want a drink or a snack? There’s everything you could ever want over there in the corner.”

“I’ll get myself a drink, thanks.”

He wasn’t exaggerating. In the corner near the door where I came in was a fridge and it was filled to overflowing with all kinds of things. I pulled out a bottle of water and wandered back over to his desk while I waited.

I changed my mind a little about having a desk job when I looked around Greg’s huge office. It was filled with comforts, good views and he clearly had all the communication he wanted at the end of the phone or with the hundreds of other people working in the office block with him.

“Hello, miss.” Chester greeted me when we went down to meet him. “Very good to see you again.”

“And you, Chester.” I smiled when he opened the limo door for me. “Thank you.” I slipped in and Greg followed, sitting close next to me and slipping his arm around my shoulders.

“It’s good to have you close again,” he whispered in my ear. “Have I told you I missed you?”

“I don’t remember,” I replied with a coy smile. “Say it again.”

“I missed you,” he repeated and kissed me.

“I missed you too,” I replied as I breathed out his soft kiss.

We snuggled in silence for the rest of the journey. I even fell asleep crooked in his arm, held tight to his chest for a while.

“Come on, sleepy head.” Greg woke me with a gentle shake. “We’ve reached home.”

I wasn’t exactly sure where we were. The house was surrounded by bushes and trees and seemed as far away from central London as it was possible to get. The front door was shiny black and we stepped up half a dozen stone stairs to get to it. The building was square and grey and definitely old. I was quite taken by its grandeur. Inside the décor was matched with its exterior, minimalistic—hardwood floors and light-coloured walls with very little extravagant decoration.

I followed Greg through to his kitchen, which was bigger than my whole flat put together, with what seemed like acres of black marble tops and dozens of cupboards and a cooker that looked like it meant business. “Blimey,” I exclaimed, “you could cook for an army in here.”

“Yeah”—he nodded, then walked over to the fridge—“it does seem a little excessive considering I mostly cook for myself, but I do like the space and I get a cleaner in to tidy up after me, which is even better.”

“I don’t blame you,” I replied.

“So, I’ve got this salmon in. I was thinking it’d be nice with some Asian-style noodles and veggies, what do you think?”

My stomach grumbled. “That sounds delicious, I don’t think I’ve eaten yet today.”

Greg shook his head and tutted. “You really need someone to look after you, don’t you?”

I bristled for a moment, my usual fight mode kicking in, then I laughed. “I do, I really do. I’m crap at all the day-to-day domestic stuff.”

He laughed and nodded.

It was fun watching Greg cook. It was all so effortless and the things he threw in the wok seemed transformed. A little dash of this, a few pieces of that, some chopped-up veg and boom, there was a hearty, one-pot meal that had me salivating.

“We’ll eat in the living room, I’m too tired for formality.”

He gave me the bowls and forks and pointed me towards the living room. He followed me with a bottle of white wine and two glasses.

“I know it’s the middle of the week but I reckon we both deserve a drop of something mellow, what do you think?”

“I agree wholeheartedly. Make mine a big ’un, I won’t be in work tomorrow.”

“So, what are you going to do about the club?” he asked.

I settled the bowls on the large glass table and sat on the impressive black leather sofa, which was as comfortable as it was masculine and intimidating. “Oh, I don’t know,” I sighed. “I’ll have to put the insurance claim in as soon as possible, I suppose, but I don’t know when I’ll hear the verdict on how it was started. If they find it’s arson, well, fuck knows when I’ll get a payout.”

“Can you afford to rebuild without the insurance?” Greg popped the cork out of the bottle and poured two generous measures.

“I suppose it depends on the extent of the damage. I’ve got some funds. I think I’d need to try and get a loan somehow, but I’ll sure as hell scrape together the money if it kills me.”

“That’s the spirit.” He passed me a glass and held his out for a toast. “I won’t offend you by offering the money outright, but if you need a loan, come to me, we’ll sort out some kind of good deal. I’ll get my legal team on it.”

“Thank you.” I smiled. “I appreciate that. If I need it, I’ll let you know. I have to say, the idea of canvassing banks for loans had filled me with dread.” We clinked our glasses together and I drank. “Ooh, this is smooth.” I moaned.

“It’s a favourite of mine,” he replied. “I knew you’d like it.”

“So, thanks for the offer of help.”

“No problem. It’s a no-brainer. I know I’ll get my investment back, you’re so driven.”

I nodded. “I’ve doubted it a time or two recently
—
it’s been one problem after another at work and I’ve wished I was capable of giving up a time or two.”

“You’re not going to, though, right?”

“No way.” I leant forward, put down my glass and picked up my bowl of noodle goodness. “I’m not going to let Darren get his way.”

The conversation dried up then and as much as I enjoyed the noodles I couldn’t take the tension. “Sorry, we should ban his name from conversation.”

“No, no, it’s okay.” Greg shook his head. “Can’t let the bastard get us down.”

I nodded. “He said you were the bastard, that you nicked his girlfriend or something? He ranted on for ages about it.”

“Oh, that old chestnut.” Greg dipped his fork into his bowl, twirled up some noodles and ate them before continuing. “I did no such thing. His girl, who he thought was an angel, had neglected to tell me she was seeing my best mate. It was as much a shock to me as it was to him. I was really forgiving back then, so when she said she really loved me, I believed her until I found her in bed with some random exchange student.”

“Oh, jeez. You must have thought history was repeating itself.”

“A bit”—he nodded—“at first anyway.”

“I’m really sorry about that, I shouldn’t have led you both on.”

“No, no, not your fault. You were honest with us both all along. Either of us could have backed out at any time. The problem’s firmly with two pig-headed blokes with more money than sense, not you.”

“Well, I’m not sure anyone has a billion pounds’ worth of sense.” I laughed.

“I certainly don’t,” he chuckled. We continued eating and drinking, relaxing into each other’s company.

“That was good.” I patted my stomach, sat back and eased into the comfort of the chair.

“Not bad, even if I do say so myself,” he agreed and set his bowl beside mine on the table. He moved back into the sofa. His hand brushed against mine. I extended my fingers and he entwined his between them.

“Mind if I flick on the TV?” he asked.

“No, go ahead.” I was full, a little sleepy after the wine and very content just to snuggle where we were for a while.

“The building has been reduced to rubble. The well-known and well-loved bar and restaurant was reported ablaze in the early hours of the morning. Firefighters have only recently put the blaze out. Foul play has not been ruled out and there is a possibility this was a case of arson. Miss Matthews has struggled over recent times with bad reviews and other problems. Some think she may have set light to Diamonds herself to gain the insurance payout.”

“Oh, good to see the rumours are already flying.” I sighed.

Greg shrugged. “I wouldn’t let it get to you, there’s always rumours.”

“It isn’t what they’re saying that’s upsetting,” I said. “It’s the pictures. Look at it, Greg, it’s in ruins.”

He squeezed my hand comfortingly. “I know, but you’ll build it back up again. See it as an opportunity. Surely there’s something you’ve always wanted to change? Well, now you can put it into the new plan.”

“Wow, that’s major-league optimism. I wish I could see past the destruction.”

“It’s still raw,” Greg replied. “You’re still grieving and so you’re allowed to be irrational. The optimism will replace that eventually.”

“I suppose.” I sighed again. The news had moved on to something else but I could still see the ruined, smoke-blackened bricks and the fresh air where windows and walls and the doors should have been.

“You’ve really been through it, haven’t you, sweetheart?” He turned to me and pulled me into an embrace. “I’m sorry I’ve not been around for you because of my stupid selfishness. I’m sorry I’ve hurt you.”

“Don’t worry.” I held him tight. “We’ve sorted it out now and we can’t change the past, can we? But we can influence the future.”

“True.” He kissed my neck gently. “That’s very true. I’m going to do all I can to make the future better.”

“You’re going to buy me a lifetime’s worth of chocolate?” I pressed my hands to his cheeks and pulled him up to kiss his lips.

“If that’s what you want.” He smiled.

“Oh, you’re going to give me what I want?” I questioned, still holding his face in my hands.

“Definitely,” he whispered, his voice raspy. The tone vibrated deep in my stomach, making it flip.

“That’s what I like to hear.”

“So, what do you want?” he asked.